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Even though Mom taught me how to make "instant" mashed potatoes taste non-instant, I'm not always a huge fan. I like them to have small bits of potato like when you use the hand mixer to mash them.

Here's a trick I came up with that was actually published (Cooking Club of America). I won a Microplane spice grater for it - not bad, huh?

What you do is take cubed frozen hash browns - about a pound or so and place into a pot. Add water to cover by about 1 - 2 inches. Bring to a boil over medium heat and cook until tender (20-25 minutes max). Drain and add milk, butter, salt and pepper - just like when you use regular potatoes. Mash and serve as normal.

The great thing about this tip is that you eliminate the washing, peeling and chunking of potatoes. Perfect for when you want to speed up dinner preparation.

Additional tip - if you somehow add too much milk or butter into the potatoes and they are "loose" then this is where those "instant" mashed potato flakes come in handy. Add them to firm up the mashed potatoes that may seem to need "thickening."

About the blog . . .

Here you will find recipes from three generations of home cooks. You'll also find a few tips, tricks and shortcuts along the way to make your cooking easier. This is why my husband calls me "Shortcut Sally." There are times when slaving over a meal is warranted and times when it won't affect the final result if you don't. The trick is for you to know the difference and that your guests don't have a clue.